The National Weather Service has issued a blowing dust advisory and a wind advisory for most of south-central Arizona — including metro Phoenix — and part of southwest Arizona.

The advisories will remain in effect until about 8 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Phoenix, Casa Grande, Gila Bend and Apache Junction are some of the regions affected by the advisories.

A statement on the National Weather Service website said wind speeds from 25 to 35 mph are expected, with gusts to reach up to 45 mph. Visibility could be reduced to less than two miles at times due to blowing dust.

The statement said people need to use extreme caution when driving and be aware of strong wind speeds and pull over if blowing dust or sand is obstructing visibility.

A high-pollution advisory was also in place Wednesday. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality issued the alert following a dust storm that hit the Valley on Tuesday afternoon.

Blowing dust and winds create an "unhealthy concentration" of particulates in the air, according to a statement from ADEQ spokeswoman Melissa Rose.

Rose said the advisory is in effect due to particulate matter in the air that is 10 microns or less in size. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a 10-micron particulate is less than one-seventh of the diameter of a human hair.

Rose said people with respiratory problems should stay indoors and that all residents of the Phoenix area should limit outdoor activity.

A no-burn restriction is in place for Maricopa County and authorities said they are asking people to avoid generating dust and to drive as little as possible while the advisory is in effect.